This posting in my ongoing series of “Best Of / Worst Of Character Moments” is going to focus on BTVS, Season 8, Issue 13.

Our focus characters for us to praise and mock will be: Xander, Renee, Buffy, Willow, Satsu… and I suppose, Andrew – though it’s a close call on whether I should be including him since again he’s stuck as the comedy relief nerd.

*sigh* I can also see myself issuing another anti-kudo to the bad guys. I don’t think that I’ve had to issue so many of these things over at Angel’s title. It’s annoying… damned clever bad guys *grumble-grumble*….

Our Heroes – What Awesome They Possess!

Xander- Xan’s friendship-thingie with Dracula is the weirdest thing yet in this season – even more bizarre than the Slayers using their powers to bank rob under Buffy’s auspices. And, I love watching Xan navigate around Dracula’s hot-blooded, violent personality with grace to get what Team Buffy needs from him. But, is there enough to give him a kudo? I’m gonna go with “no”, even though I sort of wanted to issue a half to him.

Renee- The Slayer doesn’t earn herself a kudo.

Buffy- No kudo again for Buffy. Y’know, I can’t be sure without doing some sorta impromptu count, but it doesn’t seem like Buffy is earning herself as many kudos as I expected.

Willow- Wills also doesn’t earn herself any kudo, though I do like her sense of humor in this one.

Satsu- Satsu also isn’t earning herself any kudo.

Andrew- Yep, it’s another skunker – no kudo earned by him either.

I’m issuing a special Half-KUDO for Aiko, the Slayer who took on the “those things are vicious” Kabuki Demons, apparently single handedly against at least 5 of them and won. That is using Slayer powers to their maximum effect!

I’m issuing that Anti-KUDO to the bad guys again for the plan to de-power the Slayers. It’s diabolical, it’s clever and it had to take some real thinking outside the box to come up with a plan that could work and hinged on retrieving the Slayer Scythe. It also is obvious that getting their hands on Drac’s shape shifting powers was integral to the plan, and they managed to manipulate the vampire Lord into giving them what they wanted. They are just smmoooooooth.

Our Heroes – What Are They Thinking?!

Xander- It’s hard to judge Xan in this issue, because I can’t be sure of how much influence is being pressed by Dracula in any given interaction. I don’t understand why Xander would even THINK of going to Transylvania following Anya’s death, but apparently that is what happened. I’ll not issue a demerit because he was obvs in a psychologically and emotionally dark place, but wow – the lack of judgement!

Renee- The needling of Dracula at Renee was pretty amusing, but she allowed herself to be antagonized a little too easily. Considering there is only her and Xander vs. someone as historically powerful as Vlad, it feels clumsy of her to continually bait him. Plus, what is up with her utterly blowing off a child being lost in a maze for later hunting by the vampire?? It’s possible, I guess, that she could’ve just thought of Dracula as making it up to separate her from the “manservant”. I don’t know, Renee – I feel like I must issue a Half-DEMERIT for your entire handling of this dangerous situation.

Buffy- My biggest beef with Buffy is that she’s allowed Dracula to continue existing, despite having an army of Slayers at her disposal, at all – not to mention not fighting Xander tooth and nail over his decision to join the vampire during his post-Anya breakdown. I can’t even…. WHAT!!?!

But, am I so outraged as to issue a demerit? I feel like I don’t know enough about the circumstances that obviously made her think she could trust this vampire not to simply turn or kill Xander out of vengeance, so there must’ve been some sort of truce in place. On the other hand, the fact that Butterfield is arranging children hunts suggests Dracula remains evil, just as he was when he was alive. So, yes – I’m issuing a DEMERIT against Buffy for allowing the vampire to continue existing, despite Xan’s emotional attachment.

Willow- For the same reasons that Buffy received a demerit, I’m also issuing a DEMERIT against Willow. Allowing a vampire this obviously evil to go on unmolested just feels all kinds of wrong [despite his being really humorously written in this arc].

Satsu- I’ve got no complaints against Satsu.

Andrew- Oh, Andy. I’m not going to issue you a demerit, either.

I’m also going to issue a special DEMERIT against Giles for his role in not arranging a strike force to take out Dracula, as well.

I’m also issuing a special Half-DEMERIT against Dracula. I understand he was in the dumps after Xander left him, but to drunkenly gamble your powers vs. winning a motorcycle is just beyond the dumb.

Wow. So many demerits for an arc I actually really enjoyed. And I loved Dracula’s handling, even [except for the Albanian boy part]. But when you actually think about it, well… our heroes are really just fucked in the head.